Skydiver Dies After Parachute Fails To Deploy In Illinois

A 68-year-old skydiver died after his the parachute failed to deploy in a facility in rural LaSalle County, Ottawa, Illinois, on Friday.

The deceased man was discovered by deputies in a field adjacent to Skydive Chicago, a skydiving facility, located at 3215 E. 1969th Road, Ottawa, after the police were dispatched to check out the scene around 4:51 p.m. local time (5:51 p.m. EDT), La Salle County Sheriff's Office said in a press release, the Journal Star reported.

Ottawa and Wallace fire departments also arrived at the scene to assist. Onlookers at the scene said the man did not have a pulse and was not breathing when the deputies found him.

The identity of the man has not been released by officials as the incident is being investigated by the sheriff’s office as well as the Lasalle County Coroner. So far the county officials have confirmed that the skydiving-related incident involved one male victim.

The reason behind the parachute malfunction is still undetermined.

According to News Tribune, the last sky diving-related death at Skydive Chicago was when a man from Berwyn, Illinois, died of injuries after a hard landing in October 2015. Before that, another death occurred at the facility in 2004.

Skydiving accidents have become increasingly common in present times. For example, Friday’s incident is not even the first skydiving accident in the month of June.

Alexis Zayas, a 27-year-old woman, died after sustaining fatal injuries related to a parachuting accident in Jumptown Skydiving in Orange, Massachusetts, on June 2, local news outlet LI Herald reported.

According to the office of the Northwestern district attorney, she “veered off course” and collided with a barn while landing.

“My daughter has been described as a free spirit since she was born,” said Zayas’ mother Ava Jacobs, commenting on one of the very first pictures her daughter had taken on her skydiving trip. “I remember the look on her face. It was just the most exuberant, joyous thing. I didn’t realize she was giving the world the finger.”